Each year the California Grey Whales travel past our bay on the longest large mammal migration on earth!  January 1st through the end of March is when we see these whales as they travel along our coast. We will also see Humpback and Minke whales on some of these trips!

 First, we only take out 6 passengers at a time so that everyone has the ability to move about the boat to get an unobstructed view as we engage with the whales and other wildlife. I have been a captain / naturalist / adventure travel guide for over 40 years and really like this intimate setting where we can converse about the animals as we find them. Second, We believe that we have chosen the perfect boat to for these whale watching adventures as our 28 ft power catamaran "PACIFIC FLYER" is the most stable boat in this size range and offers a much smoother ride than any other boat we have ever been on. This gets us to the whales faster and allows us to spend more quality time with them than larger, slower boats. Third, local experience matters when looking for whales and we have been in continuous, year round operation since 2012 and in that time I have personally taken over 18,000 guests out onto the waters of San Luis Bay to see the whales. Those guests have rated us as the best boat tour in the area on both Tripadvisor and Yelp every year. So if you are looking for a knowledgeable, friendly captain to escort your family out for a safe, educational and memorable whale watching experience please join us for a tour. 

How to dress?

Please note that our boat is open for the best possible wildlife viewing,  this means we are exposed to the wind and seas if it comes up early. You will want to dress in layers so you can adjust as the temperatures change. You will want to be prepared for temperatures that can range from the high 40's to the low 70's on any given day. We recommend long pants, warm sweater, waterproof jacket, hat and gloves. If you happen to get one of the rare hot days that do happen in winter here please dress comfortably and bring a bag with extra clothing with you just incase the weather changes.

What will you see?

Our main goal on each trip will be to find and spend as much time as possible with the whales, but since the central coast has such an abundance of wildlife we also find dolphins, porpoise, otters and sealions year round. For more detailed day by day account of what we have seen on our adventures over the past year please click on the recent sightings tab.

Is there a guarantee that we will see whales? 

The short answer is no as this is not a zoo. Please understand that we are taking you out to see wild animals in a wild place which is the beauty of this experience. I will always use every bit of experience I have to find them for you but the truth is no person has any control over mother nature and while we do find whales on the majority of our tours there will be days that we do not. Please have realistic expectations as to what seeing wildlife in the real world is all about. Since I am not in control of the weather or the whales or anything else in the wild we do not offer refunds or credits for future trips when we do not see whales on a tour. If the ocean becomes too rough on the day of your trip to go out to the whales we will go for a coastal explorer tour and you will receive a 50 percent refund.

Please note:

This tour is not recommended for anyone with neck or back problems that might be aggravated by traveling on a boat that at times may be bouncing around in an unpredictable manner. All ages are welcome, please call before making a reservation if you have children under 2 years of age or anyone with mobility issues.  (805) 540 4667. It gets cold out on the water so please bring a warm jacket for this trip.